CHAPTER 2 — THE MOST EXPENSIVE MISTAKE OF BRENDA'S LIFE
Brenda forced a nervous smile.
"Mr. Moretti... I can explain."
"You will."
Matteo never raised his voice.
He didn't have to.
His calm frightened people far more than shouting ever could.
He gently handed Sofia to her nanny.
"Stay with Isabella."
The little girl pointed toward Karen.
"I want her."
Matteo looked surprised.
Sofia almost never trusted strangers.
Doctors had spent years helping her become comfortable around people.
Yet after only minutes...
She refused to let go of Karen.
That alone told him everything.
He turned toward Karen.
"What exactly happened?"
Karen hesitated.
She didn't know whether the rumors were true.
Was he really connected to organized crime?
Did people actually disappear after crossing him?
She decided honesty was safer than fear.
"I only tried to help your daughter."
"And?"
"My manager said helping wasn't my job."
Matteo slowly nodded.
He looked around the boutique.
Hundreds of luxury items.
Crystal chandeliers.
Imported marble.
Million-dollar inventory.
Yet somehow...
No humanity.
He faced Brenda.
"Did she save my daughter's life?"
Brenda laughed awkwardly.
"Life is a bit dramatic."
Matteo's expression never changed.
"My daughter stopped breathing during sensory overload when she was four."
Silence.
"Another episode put her in intensive care."
Silence.
"The specialist who saved her taught every member of my security team one rule."
He looked directly into Brenda's eyes.
"If someone calms Sofia during a meltdown..."
"They are protecting her life."
Brenda's face turned white.
"I... I didn't know..."
"No."
"You chose not to care."
Matteo removed his watch.
Placed it gently on the counter.
"I own thirty-seven companies."
Another pause.
"I've closed businesses for less."
Brenda suddenly laughed again.
"You don't own Maison Laurent."
Matteo smiled.
It wasn't pleasant.
"No."
"I own the investment group that bought fifty-one percent of it yesterday."
The room froze.
Brenda blinked.
"What?"
The boutique's regional director suddenly rushed through the front entrance.
Completely out of breath.
He stopped the instant he saw Matteo.
"Oh my God..."
He hurried forward.
"Mr. Moretti... I didn't realize you were visiting today."
He looked toward Brenda.
Then Karen.
"What happened?"
Matteo answered first.
"Your manager fired the woman who protected my daughter."
The director looked horrified.
He slowly removed Brenda's employee badge.
"Brenda Wallace..."
"Effective immediately..."
"You're terminated."
Brenda's knees nearly buckled.
But Matteo wasn't finished.
He pointed toward Karen.
"Offer her Brenda's position."
Karen stared in disbelief.
"I don't have management experience."
Matteo smiled.
"I can teach management."
"I cannot teach character."
The boutique applauded.
Only one person wasn't clapping.
A woman wearing oversized sunglasses had been quietly recording everything.
She smiled.
Because she wasn't a customer.
She was an investigative journalist.
May you like
And tomorrow morning...
The entire country would know the story.
